New race, opinions welcome!

[Klaus]

Kathos roam from settlement to settlement, seeking adventure, excitement and the thrill of the chase. They are agile, quick and independent, filled with curiosity and wanderlust.
Personality: Kathos are curious to a fault. While they can lie for most of the day enjoying the simple pleasures of life, they still have the heart of a predator. Nothing excites them more than the thrill of a chase, and nothing angers tham more than an attempt to break their spirits.
Physical Description: Kathos have been described as “cat-people”, and that is truly the best way to sum them up. They are slim and athletic, standing around 6 feet tall and wheighing around 160 pounds. Males and females have nearly the same height, although females are somewhat lighter. Their bodies are covered with short fur, ranging from beige to yellow-gray, with little to no markings. Their eyes are yellow, green or blue, with vertical pupils. Their irises are so large that they take up nearly all of the eye. They dress in practical leather clothing that allows them to move freely. Their trousers have a small hole for their 2-foot-long tails. Footwear is rare, usually little more than bandages. Kathos reach adulthood at about 14 years of age and can live to be 70 years old.
Relations: Kathos tend to judge an individual for his merits, not his race. Other races have difficulty to read a kathos’ racial expressions, and find their unblinking stare somewhat unnerving. The only true enemies of the kathos are the gnolls, whose larger numbers often force a kathos family to move on.
Alignment: Unsurprisingly, kathos tend more towards chaos than law, but are equally capable of good and evil.
Kathos Lands: Kathos tend to live in open plains and temperate praeiries, as part of extended families. These families can settle in a region for months at a time, or they can live as nomads for years without settling. Familial units rarely have more than twenty kathos and their dire tiger mounts.
Kathos encountered in human lands are those who ineviatbly succumb to their wanderlust and take to adventuring (an occupation far more common among kathos than other races).
Religion: Kathos refrain from organized religion, instead seeking solace within themselves and the lines of ancestors that preceeded them. Those who wish to follow a more mystical approach tend to become monks, even if for a short while, which allows them to regain some of the physical might that evolution claimed, through discipline and practice.
Language: Kathos speak a sharp tongue with many rolling sounds and hisses. Kathian is hard on the throat and is rarely written. When it is, it uses the Common alphabet. Kathos tend to whisper a lot, being used to their own kind’s keen ears.
Names: Kathos names are usually simple, one-word affairs. Kathos adventuring in human lands often take on a nickname like “Moonclaw”, “Keen-Eye” or “Stalker”.
Kathos Male Names: Kor, Rwerk, Shan.
Kathos Female names: Mey, Tsann, Seela.
Adventurers: The percentage of adventurers among kathos is far greater than that found among other humanoid races. Kathos resting between adventures tend to be lazy and content. But it won’t be long before the hunt beckons them again and they ride out into the night.

Kathos Racial Traits
- +2 Dexterity, +2 Wisdom, -2 Constitution, -2 Intelligence: Kathos are agile and balanced, but their lighter frames make them less sturdy than humans. They have very keen senses, but trust instinct more than reason.
- Medium: As Medium creatures, kathos have no special bonuses or penalties due to their size.
- Kathos base land speed is 30 feet.
- Low-light Vision: A Kathos can see twice as far as a human in poor lighting conditions.
- Natural Weapons: An unarmed kathos can attack with 2 claws, each dealing 1d3 damage. Although they have sharp teeth, a kathos’ bite is too narrow to do much damage.
- +2 racial bonus to Balance, Move Silently and Listen checks. Kathos are predators at heart.
- +2 racial bonus to Handle Animal, Ride and wild empathy checks when dealing with felines. Kathos can empathize with felines better than most humanoid races.
- Bonus feat: Blind-Fight. Their keen hearing and sensitive whiskers help kathos fight unseen foes.
- Sonic Vulnerability: Kathos suffer a –2 penalty to saves against sonic and sound-based attacks.
- Automatic Languages: Common, Kathian. Bonus Languages: Elven, Gnoll, Giant, Orc, Sylvan. Kathos are familiar with the languages of their neighboors.
Favored Class: Monk. A multiclass kathos’ monk class does not count when determining wether he takes an experience penalty for multiclassing. The monk tradition is a way for kathos to connect to their inner grace and strength, if they can overcome their chaotic nature.

http://www.enworld.org/Pozas/Pictures/Wallpapers/tiger_knight_wp.jpg

 

[Quartz]

+1 LA, right? And, you know, it's just another cat-race.

 

[Klaus]

No, +0 LA.

To ensure the "not too religious" angle, I am thinking of giving them a "-1 caster level with divine magic (minimum 1)".

 

[Voldrath]

The only thing that concerns me for the LA is the bonus feet. And that -2 to sonic realy wouldn't come up that mutch, campaign dependant.
As for the "Just another cat-race" comment, that was not teribly constructive. If there are so many it must be because many people like the idea.
Edit: oh and the caster lvl penalty dosen't strike me as a good idea mechanicly. It's not a penalty for the races optimum use as some sort of fighter. It would only serve to prevent anyone from making one a cleric or druid and penalize any paladins(not likely) or rangers(verry likely).

 

[Turanil]

Yeah, another cat race, but this one looks sound. Plus having a pic for it is a plus. Other than that, Blind Fight could be gained at racial levels, which could also give Improved Initiative, Fast Movement, and claws that dal 1d4 weapon damage.

 

[Bront]

Having created a cat race before (Check out my Katara), they look ok... I worry about the Wis over Int. Int means they are actualy dumber than your average human, and they sound quite smart, just very instinctual. Also, the bonus to wisdom, are their insticts better? If they just use them more, no bonus needed.

The Bonus Blindfighting feat worries me a bit. If you got rid of the feline bonuses to Handle, Ride, and Empathy, I think it's probably about right.

 

[Staffan]

I find it a little odd that a race known for its chaotic tendencies would have Monk as a favored class. They sound a bit more ranger-y to me. Or possibly scout, or the battle dancer from the Dragon compendium.

 

[Klaus]

I find it a little odd that a race known for its chaotic tendencies would have Monk as a favored class. They sound a bit more ranger-y to me. Or possibly scout, or the battle dancer from the Dragon compendium.

That's part of the fun. The race is chaotic, usually. But if an individual is willing to overcome his chaotic nature and focus on his spiritual side (by being lawful), he can regain some of the physical gifts evolution claimed (represented by the larger unarmed strike damage, the Wis to AC thing, the increased speed and the slow fall feature, all of which are very reminiscent of felines, even Thudercats... ).

Granted, most kathos that go this route tend to stick with monk for only a few levels, then revert to their wilder side (chaotic ex-monks retain all benefits).

 

[DreamChaser]

And monk has to be the favored class: otherwise the +2 Dexterity and +2 Wisdom wouldn't be as cool.

This is my only issue with the race. I am firmly of the opinion that favored class should be a flavor addition rather than a power play addition. There is no reason for a member of this race to NOT take one level in monk. His stats rock for it which will make up for the fact that he will be largely giving up armor later; then add in +2 to all saves.

If he is a sorcerer, bard, or wilder class, he's even better off because his armor class will be improved primarily by things that don't affect his monk armor class. Even a wizard does pretty well; sure he takes a hit to his casting stat but you can make up for this over time with magical items.

No offense, but I would someday like to see a home brew race with a favored class that doesn't perfectly match its ability bonuses. Just my perference though, I suppose.

DC

 

[Nyaricus]

And, you know, it's just another cat-race.

And, you know, this adds nothing to the discussion. Oh, and that picture which is featured at the bottom? Klaus DREW that, man. Appreciate talent where it's due.

Nice pic, BTW - I use it for the savage catfolk IMC

As for the favoured class itself, it doesn't work. Klaus, you've stated they are chaotic in nature, and the monk just doesn't work for the description you've given us. Kathos' which go adventuring are the epitome of their race, the paragons, the greatest and rarest of the finest examples. And they are a chaotic bundle of fur. Monk doesn't work. I'd go with somehting original - like the scout - for favoured race. Their Skirmish ability is just neat, and the Spring Attack feat which compliments it meshes well with the tactics I'd imagine a cat race using. Other than that, the Ranger class woirks, especially with the drawing provided, or even the druid. They'd make an interesting druid, to be sure.

Thansk for sharing this